I love all animals but it’s no secret that I have a soft spot for cats. Here is a brief love letter to cats, the under-appreciated stars of social media and homes around the world. Don’t forget to take the polls!

Why do we love cats so much? Maybe it’s the fact that they are not easily won over. You really have to earn a cat’s love and trust. Maybe it’s the subtle ways they show their appreciation. It’s like figuring out a mystery. I find myself fine-tuning my observation skills just trying to observe our cats. Maybe it’s simply because they’re just so cute. Just look at this kitten below, just begging to be rubbed and/or played with!

If you really can’t stand the “cat propaganda” (I’m looking at YOU Kevin.. LOL), scroll down for the poll.. but, really, hear me out. I have a case to make here! *wink*

Cats are independent and self-sufficient. They’re arguably moody and choosy. Some consider this a bonus, others feel it simply makes them jerks. I say they just have more personality than your average dog because, let’s face it: most dogs will be your best friend once you feed them. For those that think cats have no loyalties or are indifferent, maybe you have trouble forging bonds. I’ve had cats wait at the door when they accidentally got left outside. Bloo often knocks on my door just to hang out with me in the man cave, too.

Bloo chillin’ like a villain.

I have a theory about people that don’t like cats: they are usually people with serious trust issues and/or a huge need to be the center of attention. Cats have a way of seeing into your soul so, if you have something to hide, chances are you won’t like cats. So far, it checks out with everyone I know. One friend whom I love dearly comes to mind: they don’t add people to Facebook unless they vet them first.. And they use alter egos and pseudonyms when they’re online. They’re the kind of people that freak out when you tag them or mention them in a social share. That level of paranoia and anti-social behavior surely does not mesh with feline co-habitation!

Why don’t you love me? *tilts head*

Here are some links related to weird people who hate cats. It seems I’m not the only one suspcious of animal haters and cat agnostics!

In my experience, hardcore anti-cat people are abrasive, insecure, paranoid, or just plain annoying. Coincidence? Perhaps. Correlation does not equate causation.. Of course, my cats have had a good track record of picking out the really turds in my circles of friends and family. I feel cats are more connected with the spirit world, emotions, and impending threats.. Most dogs we’ve had just bark at just about anything because, well, they’re lovable dumb creatures like that.

The following is our latest poll on the @GeekyAntics Twitter.. Hopefully it doesn’t break anything! You should vote for cats on Twitter, too – before it’s too late!

Over two years of Geeky Antics and 100 episodes of HorsePLAY! LIVE. We could not have done it without you, our fellow geeks! All the love, encouragement, donations, shout-outs, recommendations, referrals.. EVERYTHING helps us help others in their pursuits of passion, creativity, and geekdom. Thank you!

NEW! Text and call us at (646) 801-2149 – our new hotline!

100 episodes is a big milestone for any podcast so we HAVE to celebrate this feat with HorsePLAY! LIVE. In this article, you’ll find some of our old videos (be sure to scroll all the way and click the “Read More” link), graphics you can use on your web site, and things we have coming up for Geeky Antics Network Global! As part of our celebration, we’ll be bringing back the segment “Obi On The Podi” and bringing in everyone possible for a community call / crazy train wreck. We hope you can join us for the live broadcast on Twitch!

HorsePLAY! LIVE started as yet another gaming podcast, with heavy focus on MOBAs (particularly League Of Legends), console wars, and strategy games. Since those humble origins, we’ve become the voice of the Geeky Antics Network and our awesome community, affectionately called “The GANG”. These days, we categorize our show as a comedy but, really, it’s all about having fun and discussing all things geek. Geek culture.. That really needs to be a category on iTunes. We hope you can join us this week, whether it’s your first time or not!

Can’t join LIVE? E-mail mail@geekyantics.net or leave us VM at 206-415-4987. Tweet @GeekyAntics, @ObioneX2 and @Yogizilla. We’ll be celebrating HorsePLAY! LIVE and Geeky Antics Network milestones alike throughout the rest of the year… Especially since, technically, episode 103ish would be our official two-year milestone. w00t!

COMING SOON To Geeky Antics Network Global

We’re building the GeekyAntics Network to go beyond typical podcast networks and media outlets. Our goal is to set up automated and manual systems to help everyone grow their brand, maximize social media, and establish consistent, sustainable results. We want to go beyond the “set it and forget it” mentality that a majority of online marketers have. By working together and engaging in authentic, meaningful interactions, we are not only growing our individual brands but also forging relationships and inspiration to last a lifetime. Remember: you are not alone.

There are lots of features and talents we’re working with to give content creators options and build G.A.N.G. (Geeky Antics Network Global) to be a one-stop shop for anyone looking to get into the gaming industry, writing, streaming, and/or podcasting. Many of us have been in the field for many years and now we’re working together to lighten our individual workloads and stay motivated. Here are some of the things in the pipelines:

Greetings Geeksters, Tangent Seekers, Whovians, geeks, nerds, and everyone in between. We have a real treat for you today. Pardon me while I rant a bit…

Episode 6, “Lost Souls”, is the end of the story thus far and the beginning of new things. I love the dialogue in this episode so, when AM Audio Media asked us to be part of their launch event and they gave us THIS episode, I was particularly giddy. The writing in Dark Journey is smart, cheeky, and just plain BRILLIANT! I love how the show pokes fun at the tropes we’ve come to love in Doctor Who, while infusing elements from the mythos of other creative works.

But, enough from me, here are the video clips from today’s live broadcast. You’ll want to watch #TWTT Episode 31.5 for the actual Dark Journey episode. I know banter is something people tend to complain about when it comes to podcasts but I quite enjoyed learning more about Andrew “Chompers” Chalmers when he is not playing The Doctor. This guy is a true geek and an absolute pleasure to hang out with. Heck, we have a half-hour pre-show and we’re still chatting right now. Gotta love the power of the Interwebz!

If you’re not familiar with the fine folks behind the Doctor Who Dark Journey radio drama, check out the embedded #TWTT video or podcast below. You can also visit the official AM Audio Media web site, home to delicious Doctor Who fandoms. Skip ahead for breaking news from our friends at AMAM and the interview double-header. It’s FANTASTIC!

As some of you know, I had a recent hard drive crash right after one of my computers started to act up. We’ve been recovering from the losses but fortunately we had backups an the support of fine folks like Mike T. He’s even sending us some new Doctor Who sound bits to use on our soundboard and post-productions. The one and only MA Tamburro also added some breaking Whovian news that is somewhat exclusive so – YAY!

BTW We’re planning a launch of Series 2 of Dark Journey at the end of the month if you’d like to mention that to your listeners. We’d love to be on the show at some point in June and intro a full new episode.

So it turns out we are posting these interviews right on time, after all (PHEW). Stand by… AM Audio Media nterviews warping in!

I’ve always been a fan of third person games, from the Doom and Duke Nukem era through Goldeneye through to current incarnation of the Grand Theft Auto series. I like driving games too so when you combine them into something like Driver or Getaway, that’s what really cranks my chain… or floats my boat or… erm… let’s just say I’m particularly fond of them. ~Rikki Wright a.k.a. “Just Fred”

Three Pantomimes & Interchangeable Pertwee Head Scarecrows

TWTT: Before we get into your work with Dark Journey, tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do for fun, for example?Rikki Wright: For fun, I run marathon’s to raise money for various charities, I am an activist for certain group that promotes freedom of speech but who shall remain “anonymous”, and I actively get involved in the rescue of puppies from illegal dog fighting rings. Really? No, not really. I rarely leave the comfort of my Lazy-Boy recliner where I spend most days as close to horizontal as possible while watching reruns of 1980’s game shows, eating cheesies and scratching myself with a medium sized stick (interestingly I found that a large stick whilst providing greater coverage was too heavy and hence required a greater consumption of cheesies to generate the energy to use properly). Really? Also no, not really. The reality is almost less interesting than both of those extremes. As a father of 2, I spend most of my “spare” time running kids from swimming lessons to hockey practice and birthday parties. I am on the board and coach at my local rugby club and in those rarest of moments when I do find time for myself, I pretend to be an actor both on stage, on camera and in the case of Doctor Who Dark Journey, behind a microphone. Occasionally I turn my pen towards paper and have written (and produced) three pantomimes.

What does Doctor Who mean to you? Does it have a special place in your heart?As a child growing up in the 80’s in England, Doctor Who was quite popular and so when I think of Doctor Who (the classic era) it reminds me of my childhood. More recently however, with the latest regenerations of the Doctor, it reminds me that my wife often goes to bed much earlier than me and thus I get free reign to watch whatever I want on TV! Mixed emotions then.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I know the feeling well.. My family hogs up the big screen TV.. But, on a positive note, I got my anti-sci-fi wife mildly interested in Doctor Who – it’s a start!

How did you come to be involved with the Dark Journey radio drama?I became involved in Dark Journey after answering a casting call I came across online. I auditioned over the phone reading from a play I performed in when I was about 15 years old… so just a few years ago.

What is your fondest memory of recording with the cast (thus far)?Andrew and I share a very similar sense of humour (or as he would pronounce it “youmer”) – recording with the cast was always a challenge as Andrew and I would crack jokes (often with double entendres providing the punchlines). The challenge was always continuing recording after a good giggle and trying to keep a straight face. I’d regularly have to close my eyes or turn away from Andrew to avoid making eye contact and cracking up again. Unprofessional… maybe! I will not miss the small and overly warm recording studio that somehow managed to create the most unusual smells with no apparent source material.

Who is your favorite Doctor? Least favorite?I have a romanticised idea of liking the third doctor Jon Pertwee because of another TV character he played on Worzel Gummidge (a scarecrow with interchangeable heads!) I really should go back and watch some of the episodes from that era, particularly as he is often compared to the current Doctor Peter Capaldi whom I have a difficult time warming to. If I were to pick a favourite Doctor (who I can actually remember clearly), without a doubt it would be Tennant. In terms of least favourite Doctor, I will probably be lambasted for this but I didn’t like Matt Smith, too quirky and full of self importance… although that could describe most Doctors.

YAYAYAY – Happy Cinco De Mayo! *takes a shot*

Tonight, May 5th 2015, we’ll be drinking, probably drunk-streaming, and counting down to the Heroes Of The Storm open beta on May 19th. We’re counting down to the big Heroes Of The Storm full launch on June 2nd 2015, too. Lots of Blizzard fanboy status going on. Plus it’s a good excuse to drink if you’re of age. Who’s with us?

In our May 4th/5th The G.A.N.G. Minute vlog, we discuss tons of great stuff, including:

Heroes Of The Storm has been in closed beta since around January 13th but, since people can easily score beta keys or buy in (not sure on the latter since the Founder’s Pack was removed), now is the time when the more toxic players and feeders come into the fray. I have decided we NEED a simple guide for those of us that want to compete but don’t want to break out calculators or make Heroes Of The Storm a career move.. Oh, and have FUN playing the game; after all, that should be the first priority!

I will open up by saying that Heroes Of The Storm is the one MOBA I can wholeheartedly recommend to all my friends, unless they don’t like the overhead/isometric view or are graphics snobs that need bleeding-edge technology even if the gameplay sucks otherwise. Blizzard has done it again by taking a growing space and making it their own. Here is a MOBA/ARTS (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena / Action Real Time Strategy) game that is truly accessible and plays more like an action game than a weird, drawn-out experience of Farmville mixed with Archon: Battle Chess. It’s fun, even when you’re losing badly.. Well, maybe if you’re not a sore loser.

This game has tons of depth without the high barrier to entry. The tedious elements that ruin other MOBAs or make them good only in small doses have been removed. Rather than worrying on last-hitting, denying creep farm/score (CS), or calculating your effective DPS after AC, resistances, shields, debuffs, auras, and sun-moon alignment offsets, you can actually focus on strategies and adapting to dynamic scenarios that are always exciting and intense.

As such, we’ll be kicking off an exclusive GeekyAntics series calledVGB (Video Game Brawls) where we’ll compare games of similar styles and give you our verdict on which one, as objectively as possible, is the best across quantifiable categories. But, for now, I’m going to share what I’ve learned on HotS since playing in the alpha.

Nova, Nazeebo, and Sylvanas? YES please!

It’s NOT Pay To Win

There’s a lot of salt about the pricing structure on HotS but people forget that the game just recently went into beta. I agree that it is pricey but it’s actually still cheaper than the ever-popular yet still ridiculous League Of Legends. The only thing that tips the scale on HotS are the premium mounts but, still, LoL has had $40 skins sooooo…

The important thing here is that you don’t put money into this game and suddenly start winning, which is the epitome of pay-to-win. In fact, I would recommend sticking to the heroes that cost 2K or 4K gold (in-game currency). These heroes will be easier for newer players to get used to and eventually master.

You might see a top-tier hero dominating but don’t think it’s the hero and not the player. The game is balanced so that every hero has a fighting chance and can contribute to the team’s effort. So, if you want to drop mad gold on a Jaina, Kerrigan, Thrall, or whatever, you may want to hold off. Heroes with unique mechanics like Nazeebo, Lost Vikings, and Abathur typically work against your team if you do not have sufficient experience. Let’s not even talk about Nazeebo body-blocking his own team with those damn zombies.. Oops, too late!

Whereas other MOBA/ARTS games have characters that are easily broken to the point of being unfair or, on the flip side, picks that are almost unplayable, Heroes Of The Storm is very well balanced. I’ve seen “never spend a dime” type players beat fully-invested players. Pick any hero.. It all comes down to skill and which team plays best together.

Contrary to popular belief, the Takedowns stat in Heroes Of The Storm refers to assists or participation in kills. There is no formal KDA tracked in HotS, certainly not on an individual basis. Kills also represent a smaller XP gain when compared to taking objectives like destroying enemy structures, clearing lanes, and taking mercenary camps. Even when the kills are worth more, one must consider the time lost while other things happen.. Like your base being overrun (yes, this happens.. TOO often).

Killing enemies and dominating the opposing team is always fun but it mainly serves the purpose of creating opportunities, whether it’s pushing lanes, capturing mercenary camps, or taking map objectives (e.g. tributes, spider gems, and dubloons). The respawn timer prior to level 13 just isn’t long enough to make pursuing kills truly worthwhile when there are objectives that will push towards victory faster and more consistently.

The #1 mistake I think players make on any MOBA/ARTS game is that they get tunnel vision and focus on kills too much. This leads to frustration and missed opportunities. It’s very easy to lose sight of the objectives on any given battleground/map on HotS so don’t worry about falling behind on kills or even levels. In fact, when you fall behind on levels, it’s best to avoid team fights until it’s absolutely necessary.

Master The Mundane: The Basics Of MOBAs

You may hear die-hard MOBA veterans talk about how players should focus on the fundamentals. Practice more, play against bots, L2P, etc. But what does this all mean?

The basics are the things you will naturally get better at if you are aware of them and gain more experience. It includes…

Map Awareness – Everyone struggles here to some degree. You have to train yourself to notice the minimap and see if any enemies are unaccounted for.. And possibly doing something that could hurt your team.

Timing – Play a MOBA enough and you start to get a feel for when an attack will happen, objectives refreshed, or you should fall back/regroup.

XP Soak/Laning – Most MOBAs require that you stay in lanes as much as possible to soak up XP as enemies die but in HotS there is no formal laning phase. Some might say it’s up to when you reach level 10 but that’s more a guideline than a hard-and-fast rule.

Rotating – This ties into positioning and laning. Basically, when you rotate, you see a teammate change positions and you swap with them. This ensures there is always proper XP soak but, more importantly, it helps against mis-matched lanes situation where a hero keeps getting picked on. Rotating when taking objectives is key so that you maximize XP.

Disengaging – Knowing when to back out of a fight is something that few people have mastered 100%. You have to make snap decisions and sometimes they will be the wrong ones but, ultimately, any fight you can walk away from is a good one.

Initiating – When the fight looks promising and everyone is in position, someone has to take point and intiatie the fight/engage. This is usually the tank/warrior’s job since they can likely take a lot of lumps and live to tell the story later.

Skill Shots– Abilities that require aiming are tricky because sometimes you have to lead shots and account for projectile travel speed, as well as likely jukes/pathing and obstacles.

For many, positioning and being aware of what is going on off-screen is easier said than done. I would say it all comes down to confidence in yourself and, more importantly, in your team. In my experience, losing streaks happen when teams get deflated and sloppy as a result, and not vice versa. You won’t ever be perfect at the aforementioned but practice will improve your performance. Until then, don’t beat yourself up over mistakes because once you start hesitating or doubting, things only get worse – TRUST! [Read more…]

This article is one of many follow-ups to our most popular article, The Honest Way To Succeed On Twitch And Social Media – if you love it, please leave comments. We are considering doing video, eBooks, and other content to help everyday folks really figure out social media.. Give us the creative nudge we need and share this forward… Or leave some thoughtful comments to keep the discussion going (to may have mentioned this already)!

Giveaways are something everyone has dabbled with on Twitch. They’re a fairly common practice yet few really know what they are doing. This is not a jab at Twitch streamers, bloggers, or anyone doing business and creating online. Social media is something you just never fully master, even if you have formal education and extensive experience.

That’s a loaded question because, if giveaways didn’t produce results, people would never do them. So the real issues here revolve around whether giveaways are right for your brand and how you should go about doing them.

My Fun (And Not So Fun) Experience With Giveaways

Once upon a time, I was a partner and part owner over at Social Prize, a company that was poised to take the social media world by storm. Me and Spathizilla turned the platform into something worth talking about. On the surface, it was a giveaway platform like Rafflecopter, Woobox, Offerpop, and whatever else you can think of, but we were building it to be more than that.

Sadly, our vision would take time to bring to life and we came into the business after the company had pissed money away. It’s no fun building up a company when it’s recovering from serious debt and really piss-poor missteps.. But that’s another story for another time.

Being a part of Social Prize and involved with countless giveaways as a publisher, consumer, and product manager made me realize that giveaways really do work.. But most people on social media, Twitch in particular, are doing them wrong because they don’t have that background. There are legal risks, hidden costs, subtle strategies, and much more to consider beyond the simple tactics and tech of merely executing them.

Let’s explore some of the nuances of giveaways together…

Legal Poop About Giveaways, Sweepstakes, And Contests

First and foremost, it is very important to differentiate contests from giveaways because they are NOT the same thing. People often use the terms “giveaway” and “contest” interchangeably but, the bigger your brand, the more dangerous this faux pas becomes. Here’s why:

Giveaways [and sweepstakes] are supposed to be 100% random or luck-driven. Any performance piece or “purchase” could put you in the dangerous territory of illegal gambling. At the very least, labeling a contest as a “giveaway” would be a failure at managing expectations.

Contests are performance-driven so the time required to succeed in them is far greater than what you’d see in giveaways. It’s also more easily understood that it’s not a “set it and forget it” proposition for publishers and participants alike; that is, people know there is a need to put in continued effort. Conversely, the notion of daily entries on giveaways often eludes people.

In addition to the aforementioned distinctions, there are legal risks with giveaways, contests, or any sort of social media or marketing promotion. Twitch continues to update their Terms Of Service but this is what they have to say about promotions (i.e. self-promotion and sales/marketing) in general as of March 26, 2015. You are not allowed to…

make unsolicited offers, advertisements, proposals, or send junk mail or spam to other Users of the Twitch Service, including, without limitation, unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, or other solicitation material, bulk mailing of commercial advertising, chain mail, informational announcements, charity requests, petitions for signatures, or any of the foregoing related to promotional giveaways (such as raffles and contests), and other similar activities;

Yet people do giveaways on Twitch all the time. As with any legal jargon, you have to read between the lines. Twitch has been known to say things like “we are in the progress of updating our terms of service” and “we have discretionary power [to do whatever the hell we want]” so be wary of this. There are always rules and laws on the books that don’t get enforced until you ruffle someone’s feathers.

The key to any sort of marketing is making sure you represent your brand properly, manage expectations effectively, and avoid misrepresenting your offerings. In other words, don’t bait and switch people or you may find yourself in the midst of a legal battle. With regards to Twitch, you want to make sure the brunt of your activity is gaming-related (non-gaming content can get you suspended like we did on GeekyAntics TV) and serves their best interests first and foremost; namely, you want to keep their users happy and on their platform.

No Purchase Required. Make sure your giveaway has an easy entry method and an alternative for those that may not be able to get in via conventional means. The bigger the prize, the more important this is. While people are paying with their time and money, make sure they are not actually spending money to earn an entry. There are also rules that vary by state and country regarding the prize value, tax liability, and the like but that information can be found online or via an attorney for little or no money if you’re smart about it.

So many great things are going on with the GeekyAntics network. We’re hitting the front page on web searches, new friends are joining the community every day, potential sponsors are inquiring about our services and advertising deals, and we are attracting awesome special guests like our friends from AM Audio Media (creators of the Doctor Who “Dark Journey” radio drama). I’m so happy to see people excited about our vision and fresh take on geeky content.

Unfortunately, I can’t celebrate all these wonderful things as my family is going through a really tough time. My wife’s health is poor, I’m not doing too hot, and unexpected bills keep piling up. I know everyone has problems and I’m not seeking pitty but, in simple terms, if we don’t raise the funds by Thursday, February 26th, the lights will be cut. The details are below in my personal vlog on YouTube:

I’ll be doing a 24-hour stream on Monday, February 23rd starting sometime in the evening (can’t set a specific time because of something stupid Twitch did – details to follow). Some of The GANG will be teaming up with me so we can raise funds and have some fun playing random games. We’ll be focusing on indie and deckbuilding games including Speedrunners, Lethal League, SolForge, Hearthstone, and Dungeon Of The Endless. There might be some League Of Legends, Smite, and Heroes Of The Storm (if this backup streaming PC can handle it)!

Browsing Reddit’s r/Gaming subreddit a Minecraft project crossed my screen that is so advanced I had to share with y’all.

This team, over the span on 3-4 years, have put together a fully scaled university. The thing is done to epic proportions with multiple massive buildings, functioning wings inside of the buildings, on-site outdoor activities, and even a chopper landed on the helipad up top. After browsing the dynamic map provided in the post – http://play.shirecraft.us:6635/?worldname=Nippopolis&mapname=surface&zoom=3&x=-3429&y=64&z=-4306 (EDITOR some say the platform lags but this is still petty sweet.. Google Earth for Minecraft YO!). I jumped on Reddit to ask the creator some questions pertaining to a long unfulfilled fantasy to be able to wander the halls of a Hogwarts school, fiddling with things, discovering secret passages, and just plain exploring (aimlessly, no less).

To my surprise to creator stated that they do currently have some embedded Easter eggs and that more are planned to come. His response:

I do! There’s an ongoing quest going on within the university in one of the dorms, and there’s a hidden strip-club somewhere along the university subway tracks…

When asked about the possible business related options the maps creator also stated,

Aha, I’ve been asked a few times in the past to commission for Minecraft builds, I have unfortunately denied every one of them though, mostly because I like building in my free time and I don’t like being restricted and having the responsibility of completing a build in a certain amount of time.

No matter what this dev decided to do with this project, I give my kudos to him for such an awesomely executed project!

Seksy Geeks Leaderboard

A leaderboard of all users on the site who have earnt karma points. The table is sorted descendingly by the amount of karma points that the users have, and also shows the user’s name and karma points total.